I have so much to catch up, I'll just try to keep these brief.
13) Age of Mythology
Nothing quite beats the feeling of calling down the wrath of the Olympian gods upon your enemies. It had the great strategy mechanics of AoE2 and added in those excellent lore and gameplay elements brought in by Greek mythology. I must have finished that 30-chapter campaign at least six times.
12) Assassin's Creed II
The pinnacle of the series and one of the most beautiful and stunning games I have ever played. Ezio had depth and history comparable only to the greatest characters ever. He was supported by a range of personalities. The world was beautifully designed and fascinating. Renaissance Italy is an amazing setting, and they really did justice to it. No other AC game has quite captured that feeling for me - AC1 was too much of a chore, Brotherhood and Revelations felt too cashed-in, AC3 was too familiar and unsurprising.
11) God of War III
I had been waiting for this game for three years, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. It looked incredible, and it played incredibly well. It was as visceral as ever, and even more epic - scaling mountains, slaying titans, the final battle... epic from start to finish.
10) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
I liked the original Uncharted more than most people, but it doesn't earn a place in this top 50. Uncharted 2, however, manages to scrape the top ten. It took all of the joy and creativity of Uncharted, tightened the controls, added more characters and more settings with a better-told story, and even managed to fit in an incredibly enjoyable multiplayer segment that didn't feel tacked on at all. Certainly my favourite PS3 exclusive, even in the company of the game directly below it in my list.
9) Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
One of the greatest fantasy universes ever constructed. It wasn't built by this game, but this game did expand upon it enormously, and despite its simplicity it is undoubtedly one of the greatest strategy games ever made (and the highest on my list). Once again, I have finished the campaign at least five times despite its relative length. Unusually, though, I'm not much of a fan of the multiplayer, and I can't stand DoTA.
8) Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Hands down the greatest stealth game ever made. Absolution tries to emulate it and fails miserably. Recent Splinter Cell games stray too far and fall completely flat. It didn't need enormously complicated mechanics or flashy graphics. It was just one man with a handful of gadgets trying to save the world one choked guard and shot-out light at a time.
7) Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
This game really does hold a special place in my heart. It's still my favourite R&C game, and it's received some very tough competition for that title. Dr Nefarious is simply outstanding, as are Qwark, Lawrence, Clank and all of the other supporting characters. The Starship Phoenix has never really been matched in any other game as a home location, and Annihilation Nation provided an excellent challenge. The game was long, and I played it over and over and over again. I just got the Collection for PS3, so I'm looking forward to playing it again for the first time in years.
(Former) Lead Moderator and (Eternal) VGC Detective 
